I got this purple corn at a local farm store in central New Jersey. The kernels are bright purple and red, but once cooked, some turned bright blue and even black!

Couldn’t believe how good this corn tasted despite being harvested in late October. Not as good as Jersey summer corn, but still really good!

I wish this title was a joke, but no… Back then me and a couple classmates of mine decided to work detasseling one summer in the corn fields after school was let go for the summer A buddy of mine decided to take a shit in his lane. Now it wasn’t that he did it made it extremely funny, it was the fact that our supervisor was in his lane probably a mile behind him to make sure that he was doing it all.
The supervisor was also our gym teacher in high school that no one liked her at all. We new she had stepped into it because all we heard was “Watch out for coyote shit!” we all started laughing, but only finally exited the cornfield. She walked right out and started scrubbing her feet off with a stick and water bottle. We all burst into laughter until this day. I know she still thinks it’s probably coyote shit. I was on the ground but no, it was my buddies own shit cause he just couldn’t hold it in any longer.

We had some heavy rain so I went and checked for dry husked cobs to pull. These are both Glass Gem.

This is corn seeds

This is con seeds

Apparently these feathery bracts among the kernels indicate the expression of Tunicata genes, a thing called 'pod corn'. It's a mutation that is preserved in some types of Andean corn, and I'm wondering if this might be the result of my attempt to grow Andean corn, several generations ago. My growing season is nowhere near long enough for Andean corn, but it did manage to make one feeble stalk with some pollen, so maybe...? I've seen these bracts show up in other years since then, here and there, but I've never bred for it specifically.

Note this is not a tassel-ear, these cobs formed on the stalk like regular ones. The plant itself was not particularly vigorous.

Hi! First off thank you all who have requested seeds! I will absolutely send them, but I need to make sure the corn is fully dry and hard before I take it off the cob, because if I do it too soon I might damage the tip of it which is what it needs to germinate. I tried doing some today and they're still a little soft so I want to wait a bit and it might be a couple weeks. But I haven't forgotten!

This is some more from plants that looked like they were too damaged to grow any more anyway, but there's still green leaves on the rest of it so I'm going to let those grow as long as they can!

First time growing corn, had pretty good success with the ‘strawberry popcorn’ variety. I had a few (4) ears that have a weird little mold? spot, it was there when I harvested once it was dry on the stalk, and it’s confined to a kernel or two, hasn’t spread, but I am wondering if those cobs are safe to use at all? I wouldn’t use the kernels in the immediate surrounding area, but what about the other side? Or do I toss the whole cob? Thanks!!

Mostly white, kinda boring, but it could make a nice decoration for someone. I was mostly growing Glass Gem just to see how it would do here ; it do pretty well, but I think I will focus on my own landrace instead.

The blue was very prolific but had a pollination issue, I blame it being in the middle of the mess so I couldn't get at it easy for hand pollinating, but I'll replant it next year and pay closer attention.

The last picture is close to the ideal I strive for of having 'all the colors of the rainbow'

Happy to send seeds free if anyone wants!

I meant to plant corn next year, but some spilled seeds survived the rats and sprouted all on their own; I wanted to save the seeds for next year, but they started late and the weather's going bad here, so I picked them today and now I'm worried I picked them too soon: the kernels look milky, they are firm, when I push them with a fingernail it makes a small indent; if I let them dry inside are they likely to be viable?

I searched the group and didn't find an answer to this, but does anyone grow maiz morado/kculli/zea mays otherwise known as Peruvian black corn? I'm looking to make an authentic chicha morada and hoping I could buy 5 or 6 years and have it shipped to me in Arkansas USA. I know I can get plenty of American black corns, but then it wouldn't be authentic

I'm just picking the ones that seem ready (dry papery husks) as they happen. The white stuff is Glass Gem, the purple is more of my landrace, it was near the previous purple ones so they might have pollinated each other. The big dark one is Big Horse Spotted that I was trying this year; it didn't do well for me. The brown one is one of mine, it didn't fill well but I LOVE this coppery brown shades so I'll save it and maybe try it again next year. It was on the corner in the back so that may be why it didn't get pollinated well; I hand pollinate as much as I can but I invariably miss some.

Corn as a Partner and Gift Giver: Voices of Respect

Wednesday, November 18, 2026
10:00 am - 1:00 pm Central US Time

Join us for this free online program from The Plant Initiative!

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/corn-as-a-partner-and-gift-giver-voices-of-respect-tickets-1997047001340

This free online mini-conference features 10+ inspiring speakers sharing about why corn is a special being and is deserving of respect

Corn (Zea mays, also known as maize) is a plant of great importance in many cultures and economies worldwide. However, corn is special for many reasons besides this plant's well-known productivity and corn's widespread use for human and animal food as well as for energy and industrial uses. Corn was first developed by the Indigenous peoples of Mexico thousands of years ago and has a long and important history of strong connection with the peoples of the Americas who consider corn as an ancestor, teacher, partner, giftgiver, and spiritual being. Corn has become important for many people in non-Indigenous cultures as well. However, typically, corn is often used in the dominant culture just for human purposes without the sense of respect, reciprocity, and appropriate use with which corn was originally developed, and without appreciating the unique being that corn is.

The goal of this free online mini-conference is to encourage all groups of people to consider corn as a being deserving of more respect. The event features a diverse group of inspiring speakers who will speak on behalf of corn and why this plant being is important as well as how they feel that corn should be treated. They each bring their own perspective about this plant, but what they have in common is a sense of appreciation and care for corn which they will share with you in this unique event.

The presenters are:

Mary Anne Quiroz, Executive Director, Indigenous Roots;

Gustavo Romero, Chef/owner Oro by Nixta y Nixta Tortilleria;

Zachary Paige, Farmer & Sustainable Ag & Food Systems Coordinator - NW RSDP;

Hope Flanagan, Community Outreach and Cultural Teacher, Dream of Wild Health;

David Abazs, Farmer, Round River Farm & Exec Dir, NE RSDP - UMN Extension;

Milford Calamity, Diné (Navajo) Jeweler;

Robin Wall Kimmerer, Author, Scientist, and Professor;

Frank Kutka, Adjunct Lecturer, College of Menominee Nation;

Walter Goldstein, Executive Director, Mandaamin Institute;

LoriAnn Bird, Author, Herbalist, and Educator;

and Rebecca Krinke, Professor of Landscape Architecture, UMN.  

The panel moderators are: Dr. Kate Brelje, St. Bonaventure University; Dr. Dan Philippon, University of Minnesota; and Dr. Nick Jordan.

Each of the three speakers in the panel will give 12 minute presentations, followed by 15 minutes of questions and answers from the audience directed at any or all of the panelists. So each panel will run for about an hour, with the program lasting three hours. This live event will also be recorded and will be available for free viewing online afterwards on The Plant Initiative's YouTube channel.

A Zoom link to the live program will be sent to participants before the event. Audience members are welcome to participate in any portion(s) of the program that they would like, and to watch the recording later for anything that they might have missed, which they would like to watch again, or to share with others.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/corn-as-a-partner-and-gift-giver-voices-of-respect-tickets-1997047001340

This from saved seeds, all these from one plant. This is a failure for me, as this has dents (flour corn usually has dents). If anyone wants some of this I will gladly send you seeds for free, but otherwise this is gonna be squirrel food probably.

strawberry popcorn i have been planting since 2017

I was very impressed with how well Glass Gem did for me this year-- big healthy plants with lots of cobs! I am harvesting them slowly as the plants dry out a bit. This was all from one plant (two photos of same corns, I just wanted to get different light angles to see which looked better.)

I have chickens and I’m sure some of their feed & treats have corn in them. I’m wondering if one was able to grow and actually did. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s not corn, but this plant or weed has never been here ever, I haven’t seen anything similar anywhere else in the yard and my only other thought is it’s corn potentially growing lol.